By Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji a.k.a BAO, the Chief Executive of Ekiti State who will be a year older in few days, has touched many lives and communities in the state since he was sworn in as Governor on October 16, 2022.
Many of these good deeds were not made public for reasons best known to the Governor, but as a Reporter, it is my job to make them public and I will try to mention just a few of them in order to show that that Governor BAO is indeed , another angel in human form, and one many Ekiti people have christened as a promise keeper and another exemplary, kindhearted leader in the mould of our own mother General, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, whose positive impact on lives of many Ekiti sons and daughters has been so great and enduring.
Yes, Oyebanji is another angel like Erelu Fayemi whose visitation to many communities and people of Ekiti has brought enduring joy to them and the following lines will prove this assertion.
Just Like Erelu Bisi Fayemi, most of the people who have recieved the BAO’s special visitation in their lives recently in the state, have got great stories of miraculous turnaround for the better, to tell.
In the same spirit, communities or groups that have had encounter with BAO have continued to thank God for sending the Governor to Ekiti at this time because they have also enjoyed his Midas touch.
The fact that Governor Oyebanji has interest in making life better for many who have lost hope, been written off, are dejected or forgotten, is astonishing.
Esther Bukoka Adeleye, a.k.a Bukola Eyinju BAO, is a recent beneficiary of BAO’s benevolence. She got gifted with a brand new KEKE NAPEP, by the kindhearted Governor. Bukola has since described Governor Oyebanji as an angel sent by God to rewrite her life history for the better.
The rest of her story could be located in the link below:
A physically challenged cobbler, Taiwo Oguntomilade from Ikere Ekiti who is popularly known as Kito , is another beneficiary of BAO’s kindness.
Governor Oyebanji did not only empower him by securing a shoe making machine for him but also offered to buy the first set of shoes he would make with the machine as another form of empowerment! . This gesture, according to Kito, has fixed his life.
His own full story could also be located in the link below:
Oyebanji’s Intervention In My Life-Physically Challenged Cobbler, Oguntomilade Narrates
Another cobbler, a female and graduate of English Education, Adejumoke Oguntade, also narrated to Heritage News about her historic encounter with Governor Oyebanji which brought great fortunes her way.
Hear her: “the Governor was going on a road inspection and suddenly branched into my shop recently. He saw what l was doing to make ends meet in spite of being a graduate and he decided to bless me with the a good amount of money which has since then made my life much better.”
Another beneficiary of such benevolence is a musician, krix Wala Wala, please open this interview link to hear his own testimony:
Gov Oyebanji, Erelu Fayemi Are The Angels God Sent to me-Krix Walawala
Also, another related story like these is a story of this forgotten, written off, and abandoned Victor, please find it in this link:
If You Are Conversant With Fajuyi Park Ado Ekiti, You Should Know Him
Governor Oyebanji took his benevolence to a higher level recently when he dolled out over ₦9 million to some vulnerable citizens who sought assistance from the state government because of their poor condition.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Communication, Mrs. Mary Oso-Omotosho said, “This is a personal decision on the part of the governor to reach out to the less privileged. It is a promise he made within himself to see to the welfare of the ordinary citizens.”
Other communities that have also benefited from BAO’s special intervention included Ekiti-East and Gbonyin Local government areas. They had their electricity restored by the Governor after ten years of painful blackout.
The people of the communities have continued to praise the Governor for the kind gesture.
Hon. Samuel Ojo is the Chairman of the Ekiti East LGA. He applauded Governor Oyebanji for taking step to restore electricity to the community after a decade of darkness. While expressing his gratitude to the Governor, he stated that the restoration of power will now boost economic activities in the area.
Equally, a traditional ruler in Gbonyin LGA, the Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, HRM Oba Adebanji Aladesuyi, has lauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for reconnecting his town to National grid.
Similarly, the Gbonyin Local Government area Chairman, Hon. .Oluwadamilare B. Ajayi also applauded the state governor for reconnecting all the entire towns and cities in the LCDA and Aiyekire to the national grid after many years of total blackout.
Hon. Ajayi described the governor’s gesture as a clear indication that Governor Oyebamiji is a people’s governor and a promise keeper.
The traditional ruler stated that restoring eleçtricity to the community and other towns in Gbonyin Local Government Area, will reinforce economic activities and ensure the security of lives and property.
Applauding the governor for fulfilling his promise, Oba Aladesuyi, in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists, commended Governor Oyebanji for being truly people-oriented in actions and deeds.
Oba Aladesuyi stated that a lot of promises were made by preceding governments to restore electricity to the area after the Benin Electricity Distribution Company(BEDC) disconnected them for inexplicable reasons, but none was fulfilled. He added that the current development has further rekindled people’s hope in the Oyebanji-led government.
Oba Aladesuyi stressed that the reconnection will surely increase people’s economic consciousness and bring an upsurge in business activities that have, hitherto, been comatose on the area.
His words: “Let me on behalf of my community and by extension, the people of Gbonyin Local Government Area appreciate Governor Biodun Oyebanji for this landmark achievement. It was a restoration of hope after many years of despondency.
“For over a decade, my subjects were immerse in total darkness. Businesses were comatose. All promises and hopes became shattered and futile, but the advent of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s government rekindled our hope through his visionary and quintessential leadership acumen that has been acknowledged near and far.
“During his electioneering campaign prior to the June 18, 2022 governorship election, the Governor did promise that he would reconnect Gbonyin, Ijan Ekiti inclusive back to the national grid within one year in the saddle. Most astoundingly, he kept the promise and delivered.
“This accentuated the fact that good leadership still abounds in Nigeria. My people will forever be grateful for this immeasurable show of love and good leadership exhibited by his Excellency, Governor Oyebanji”, the monarch stated.
The traditional ruler further emphasized that the electricity supply in the area will help the government, the towns and security agencies to synergize to finally put an end to criminal activities of kidnapping, burglary and others in the area.
Governor Oyebanji is definitely not resting on his oars in this Messianic mission targeted at making life better for the people of his state. He is like the Biblical Messiah, Jesus Christ, whom the Bible describes as “going about doing good.” As this peoples’ Governor of Ekiti State goes about doing good, who is next to benefit from his kindheartedness, are you? .
